International Women’s Day: Over 40% active CA students today are girls – Times of India

Revealing statistics


ICAI Data shared with
Education Times reveals that over the past five years, the number of women CAs has seen a constant rise. “The number was 64,685 women CAs in 2017, followed by 70,047 in 2018; 73,807 in 2019; 81,564 in 2020 and 88,983 in 2021,” says Mitra.

Among the new admissions in the foundation/CPT courses at ICAI, the number of female students stands at 54,960 in 2021 (45.48% of the total students). The percentage has risen massively from 2011, when the total number of girls taking admission into CA courses was 54,416 (36.54% of the total students).

In the last decade, around 70 female aspirants have topped the CA exams at different levels. The respective numbers of girl toppers are Common Proficiency Test (7), Foundation (8), PCC (2), Intermediate (24), IPCC (2) and Final (28).

Myriad of reasons

Ved Jain, past president, ICAI (2008-09), says, “Post liberalisation of the Indian economy, the field of CA opened up to better job opportunities for everyone. A conducive environment within offices started attracting girls to the field. At that time, the two issues facing girls entering a professional field were cost of education and late marriage; the field of CA answered both.”

Amarjit Chopra, past president, ICAI (2010-11), says, “Compared to professional fields like Medicine and Engineering, the cost of CA education is miniscule, as students basically need to self-study. As for parents being worried about their girl’s marriage, few female CAs choose to marry within the fraternity. Also, taking a gap due to getting married or starting a family does not mean the end of a woman’s professional journey. CA is extremely open to professionals joining back as long as they keep themselves updated with the field.”

In fact, their sobriety and complete dedication makes girls preferred employees for few roles within any CA organization, adds Chopra.

With more girls entering the field, CA offices also started weighing in the advantages to hiring them. “Male candidates may have taken up the profession due to the societal pressure of providing for the family but with no interest in it. However, girls had to struggle to achieve the status of being a CA, thus they proved to be great employees,” adds Jain.

Chopra says that hesitancy in sending girl CAs for travel assignments may be the only roadblock facing girl CA professionals today. Priti Paras Savla, central council member (ICAI), independent director on boards of various listed companies, bursts this myth. “My company has a ratio of 60:40 in favour of women professionals. In case of assignments requiring travel, girl candidates are willing to travel, which underlines the changing mindset,” she says.

Students’ speak

After completing school education in the Commerce stream, a profession in CA was preferred as the field offers minimal financial or social roadblocks for women

– Nivedita N, AIR 3, CA Final December 2021 exam

Plethora of job options and the opportunity to maintain a healthy work-life balance attracted me towards the field. Since CA preparation was not expensive and did not require me to travel out of the city, my parents also supported my decision

– Kinjal Ajmera, AIR 1, CA Intermediate (New course) exam.